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Background Facts – Over the course of a month, two deadly hurricanes ravaged the Gulf of Mexico. On- and off-shore oil and gas facilities were severely damaged – or even destroyed – by the powerful storms.

Emergency Response Issues – The energy sector in the region faced the myriad challenges of needing to protect its staff, assets, and the environment, while also seeking to keep facilities in production wherever possible to secure the nation’s energy supply. This was an extremely costly exercise and insurance claims were business-critical issues in the face of production losses and repair costs. Energy companies with assets in the region needed a team that could help them in their efforts to quickly and efficiently recommence operations. Loss limitation was therefore essential.

Our Role – We were engaged by a number of facility owners to handle their insurance recovery matters. In one example, a refinery was taken out of commission by the storm. Our lawyers immediately began working with insurers and contractors to minimize the costs of the damage, and to help ensure that the facility was up and running again with minimal delay. In another case, an off-shore oil platform was completely destroyed and the rig had to be evacuated. However, oil was still spilling out into the surrounding waters. Working with the client, contractors, and the Minerals Management Service, we helped ensure that the facility was shut down and the rig removed promptly to prevent further damage. We represented the client before insurers to deal with the client’s loss of revenue.

Outcome – Our prompt engagement with all parties concerned and the breadth of our engagement in the disaster recovery operations in the region ensured that our various clients’ costs were minimized, and losses were recovered from insurers to the furthest extent possible.